1955 Railway Strike

[Toddington Ted]

Originally Posted by locojoe

A very interesting post Ted but I'm not that interested in discussing politics on the forum. All the best.

It wasn't intended as a political discussion, it was just an example of how the 1955 Railway Strike had a knock-on effect on a very small part of the railway goods traffic on what is now a well known heritage line. Well, I'll admit the last bit might be - but I suppose that's a statement on political leadership rather than on politics per se. I shall say no more on the matter except that this is a democracy, the worst form of government, apart from all the others!

[locojoe]

Hi Ted I'm glad that's sorted now we can move on, all the best.

[Colin Dingley]

As a mere and very young spotter in 1955, and without wishing to denigrate the reasons behind the strike, may I say how wonderful it was to visit depots with double their normal number of locos on shed.
It's an ill wind etc........... but for us young lads it was a wonderful, never to be forgotten, time.

[Belmont Road]

Just a footnote here. I am glad Ted did raise a few issues around the collapse of freight after the strike.

It was an unintended consequence but it was a fact and I saw a very interesting interview on TV a few years ago with an ex Union Boss who sort of admitted that it was an own goal as it cost many of his members their jobs.

After that, apart from minerals and bulk traffic, freight declined rapidly. True it was more than just the strike but private industry lost confidence in the industry then, as is still the case in France where rail strikes still happen fairly frequently.

I have mixed feelings about privatisation but for freight it has been a huge success and long may that continue.

[HM181]

The flexible rostering disputes were in the start of the 1980's.
It was about leaving the 8 hour day, and working shifts from 6hrs upto 12 hours.
This FR effected al traincrew eg guards secondmen and drivers.
When these ASLEF stikes came on, we signed on at the depot and went in the mess room and watched the TV all day.
No trains were worked as there were no drivers.
We had a few NUR drivers but they had one off in support of ASLEF

[Bevan Price]

Without wishing to comment on the rights and wrongs of the 1955 strike, Toddington Ted makes some good points. Indeed, the strike may have contributed to some of the lBeeching closures in the 1960's - the main people to benefit were the car makers and the road transport industry. Commuters deprived of trains for 2 weeks looked for alternative transport, and quite a lot bought cars, never to return to rail transport. Likewise, the railways lost a lot of freight business due to the strike. And the Government recognised that sizeable parts of the country could exist without railways.

[ianrail]

Originally Posted by Bevan Price

Without wishing to comment on the rights and wrongs of the 1955 strike, Toddington Ted makes some good points. Indeed, the strike may have contributed to some of the lBeeching closures in the 1960's - the main people to benefit were the car makers and the road transport industry. Commuters deprived of trains for 2 weeks looked for alternative transport, and quite a lot bought cars, never to return to rail transport. Likewise, the railways lost a lot of freight business due to the strike. And the Government recognised that sizeable parts of the country could exist without railways.

Exactly. Although I was very young at the time, I have always believed that the constant strikes after 1955 effectively did the government's dirty work for them. Someone who handled railway parcels told me he noticed how much less business he had after each strike.

[Belmont Road]

I respest people's right to strike but it should be a last resort.

It's interesting that the Rail Unions constantly call for re-nationalisation. At the moment rail strikes cannot cripple the entire network as a dispute can only be with one company at a time. (Network rail could be crippled but most strike calls there have failed)

Do they want that power back? The have it on London's Underground and have levered in for some employees substantial rewards.

[Tony]

I think that most people have realised in the past few years that the biggest losers in any strike are the strikers! How many people can afford to lose a full weeks wages? How long will it take to make up that loss? I took part in a strike at British Aiways in the 70's and it played havoc with the family finances for at least 12months. The Union bosses still swanned around in their Union cars, coming to the mass meetings to whip up support for the strike that didn't affect them.